Bridge



.-W'. c. EDWARDsaE o'. R. SAGKBTT. 'A1]?AI\.A'1?Uv FOR EXTXNGUSHING FIRES I-N RAILWAY GARS.

No. $79,058.@ j 'Paten-ted Mlm. 6,1388.

-' UNITED- STATES WILLIAM C. EDWARDS AND ORVILLE R. SACKETT,

, BRIDGE, NEW YORK.

PATENT OFFICE.

or SUSPENSION SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 379,058, dated March 6, 1888.

Application filed May 25, 1887. Serial No. 239,353. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM C. EDwARps and ORVILLE R. SACKETT, both of Suspension Bridge, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Extinguishlng Fires in Railway-Cars, of which the following 1s a specification.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for automatically extinguishing the lire 1n the stove or heater of a railway-car in case of an accident to the train, and more particularly to an apparatus in which carbonio-acid gas is employed as an extinguishing agent, which is generated by introducing a suitable acid into a vessel charged with water and a suitable carbonate.

The object of our invention is to provide means whereby the carbonio-acid gas is automatically generated and discharged with the water into the car-stove when the car assumes an abnormal position.

Our invention consists of the improvements which will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

The accompanying drawing represents alongitudinal sectional elevation of our improved lire-extinguishing apparatus.

A represents the floor of an ordinary car, A the roof, and A2 one of the end walls thereof.

B represents the car stove or heater, and C the reservoir in which the gas is generated, and which is connected with the car-stoveby a pipe, b. vThe latter terminates with its lower end in the tire-pot of the car-stove and with its upper end near the bottom of the reservoir C. The latter is supported by a shelf or bracket, d, secured to the end wall, A, and is filled with water and a suitable carbonatesuch, for instance, as marble-dust-or any other substance which will evolve an expansive gas when combined with a proper acid. Marbledust and muriatic acid are preferably employed for this purpose on account of their cheapness. The reservoir C is provided in its upper end with an opening, c, which is closed by a screw-cap, c', and through which the reservoir is filled.

E represents a vessel of glass, or other fragile or brittle material, arranged within the reservoir G and containing a suitable acid. The vessel E is supported by brackets e, secured to the inner side of the reservoir C.

f represents a horizontal pin or bolt, which is arranged to slide in an opening formed in the side of the reservoir C, adjacent to the vessel E, and which projects with its outer end through a stufng-box, f. The horizontal bolt f is preferably provided at its inner end with a head, f2, which is adapted to break the acid-vessel E when the bolt is moved inwardly.

G represents a horizontal aircylinder, which is preferably secured to the side of the reservoir C and open at its inner end and closed at its outer end. The cylinder G is provided with a piston, g, having a piston-rod, g', which projects through a bearing or opening formed in a bridgepiece or bracket, g, secured to the inner end of the cylinder. The piston-rod g is arranged in line with the horizontal bolt f,

so that the inner end of the piston-rod will' strike the outer end of the bolt f when the piston g is moved inwardly and cause the bolt to break the acid-vessel.

g3 represents stops or projections secured to the inner side of the cylinder at a short distance from the head thereof, and which limit the outward movement of .the piston.

g4 is a light spring which surrounds the piston-rod g', and isinterposed between the piston g and the bridge-piece g2, and which prevents the piston from moving inwardly and striking the bolt f under the ordinary shocks or jars of the car.

The cylinder G is supplied with compressed air by a pipe, h, which enters the closed outer end of the cylinder and receives the air from a reservoir, H, arranged below the door of the car. The air-reservoir H is connected by a branch pipe, i, with the air-pipe I, which supplies the air-brakes. The pipe i enters one end of the air-reservoir H, and is provided within the reservoir with a check-valve, i', which permits the air to enter the reservoir,

but prevents the same from escaping therefrom throughthe pipe z'.

The air-reservoir H is connected with the A air-pipe h by a pipe, h', extendingfrom the IOO reservoir upwardly toward the cylinder G and divided at its upper end into two branches, h2 7a3, which connect with the pipe h. The branch hz is provided with a stop-cock or valve, J, and the branch h3 with a similar cock or valve, J, whereby the flow of the compressed air from the reservoir H to the cylinder G is controlled.

7c represents a depending arm or lever arranged below the stop-cock J and pivoted to a collar, 7;', secured to the branch pipe h2. The

' arm k is provided at its lower end with a weight, K, which tends to hold the arm in a perpendicular position. The arm 7c is provided at its upper end with a gear-segment, k2, which meshes with a gear-segment, j, secured to the plug of the valve J, so that by swinging the arm k the plug of the valve J will be turned. rlhe passage in the plug of the valve J is so arranged with reference to the valvecasing that the valve will be closed and the air excluded from the cylinder Gwhen the depending arm h' is in a perpendicular position, while the valve will be opened and the u air be admitted to the cylinderG when the depending arm is moved out of its normal posi tion.

The valve J of the branch pipe h is provided with a depending weighted arm, l, similar to the arm 7c, and operating the valve J in the saine manner. The depending arms k Z are pivoted to swing in planes at right angles to each other, the arm k swinging lengthwise of the car and the arm Zcrosswise of the same.

When the car assumes an abnormal position by being derailed or overturned, one or both of the weighted arms k l are swung out of a perpendicular position, whereby one or both valves J J are opened and the compressed air is admitted to the cylinder G. lThe air entering the cylinder G forces the piston g inwardly and causes the piston-rod g to strike the outer end of the bolt f, which latter is moved inwardly and strikes the acid-vessel Eand breaks the same. The acid is discharged upon the carbonate in the reservoir and generates carbonic-acid gas, which latter forces the liquid contents of the reservoir into the carstove through the pipe b and extinguishes the fire.

It is obvious that the piston-rod g and the boltf may be formed in one piece, if desired.

By eifecting the mixture of the ingredients in the gas-generator by a pneumatic actuating apparatus, as described, the weights are required simpl yto overcome the slight resistance of the air-valves, which are easily operated, and the air-pressure is used to effect the discharge of the acid into the body ofthe generator. whereby a considerable force is made avail able for this purpose, thereby insuring the prompt and efficient action of the gas-generator.

-We claim as our inventionl. The combination, with a car stove or' heater, of a gas-generator' provided with a fragile acid-receptacle and a discharge-pipe connected with said stove or heater, an air cylinder and piston, a valve by which compressed air is admitted to said cylinder, and a rod or bolt which is operated by said cylinder and piston and which causes the breaking of the acid-vessel, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a car-stove and a gas-generator provided with an acid-vessel, of a bolt or rod adapted to break the acid-vessel, a piston and air-cylinder adapted to operate said bolt or rod, a pipe whereby compressed air is supplied to the air-cylinder, a valve arranged in said supply-pipe whereby the admission of air to the air-cylinder is controlled, and a depending weighted arm connected with said valve, whereby the valve is automatically opened when the car assumes an abnormal position, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a car-stove, the reservoir C, and the acidvessc1E, of a sliding bolt or hammer adapted to break the acid-vessel, an air-cylinder, G, a piston, g, arranged in the air-cylinder G and operating said sliding bolt, a pipe whereby compressed air is delivered to the air-cylinder, and a valve arranged in said supply-pipe and provided with a depending weighted arm, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a car-stove, the reservoir C, and the acid-vessel E, of a sliding bolt, f, a piston, g, au air-cylinder, G, a brakepipe, I, an air-supply pipe, h, connected with the brakepipe I and delivering compressed air to the cylinder G, valves J J', arranged in the supply-pipe h and provided with depending weighted arms k Z, moving at different vcrtical planes, substantially as set forth.

5. The eombination,with the reservoir C,and acid-vessel E, arranged in the reservoir C, ofa bolt, f, moving in an opening in the side of the reservoir C, a cylinder, G, a piston, g, moving in said cylinder and having a piston-rod,

IOO

y', adapted to strike the boltf, a pipe whereby VILLIAM C. EDWARDS. ORVILLE R. SAOKETT.

Witnesses:

CARL F. GEYER, CHESTER D. Howe.

IIO 

